�They are illegal
and ought to be suppressed. I would never countenance that which recognizes
their legality.� --President William Howard Taft on Boycotts

My grandfather came
to this country through Ellis Island. He arrived with seven brothers and
a sister. The sister was the surrogate matriarch and impressed on her
brothers two imperatives about their new life in America: 1) Learn the
language; 2) Get a job.

My mother, aunts
and uncles frequently regretted they were not allowed to speak Italian
in the home. However, that was an important distinction for that generation
of immigrants. They came to the U.S. to become Americans�not hyphenated
Americans�not American-�Lite�, but citizens of the greatest country on
the planet. My grandfather�s generation was seeking �opportunity� and
they seized it with desperate hands and embraced it fully. They didn�t
expect or seek preferences. They were goal oriented and committed to inclusion
and assimilation. To that generation American citizenship was a great
prize to be won and cherished. They endured prejudice, discrimination,
and came to accept it as just another of life�s challenges�like bad weather
and the common cold.

That entire Ellis
Island migration was a remarkable collection of extraordinary individual
stories of determination and accomplishments. Sadly, it was also in many
ways the antithesis of today�s 9 to 14 million illegal aliens. Two recent
events crystallize most of what is wrong with the contemporary immigration
debates.

1. California�s
State Senate actually endorsed a nationwide boycott by illegal immigrants
(as always the operative word being �illegal�). Myopic, gutless Democratic
Senators approved what strike organizers claim will close down major
American cities from coast to coast. The fiscal impact of the boycott
will do more to hurt immigrants than an armed division of bigots.

2. The introduction
of a Spanish version of the national anthem, �Nuestro Himno� or �Our
Anthem� was supposedly recorded to show solidarity with illegals. However,
even Hispanic radio audiences agreed it will be seen as an insult. ��instead
of helping the situation it could actually make it worse. That the flag,
the country�s national anthem are sacred. You shouldn�t touch them.
You shouldn�t change them.� Said Victor Martinez of radio station LaLey
and Radio Mex. There is a serious empirical disconnect here that will
have that Ellis Island generation no doubt spinning in their graves.

California�s Senate
Majority Leader Gloria Romero, in a disingenuous, duplicitous attempt
at defending the indefensible said, �It�s one day�for (illegal) immigrants
to tell the country peacefully, �We matter�(we�re) not invisible.� What
she did not say was the boycott is irresponsible, and will result in very
real negative fiscal consequences for schools, business, governments,
and individuals.

The �form� of a national
boycott may strike a resonate cord with the rent a mob crowd and certain
publicity starved celebrities and celebrity wannabes, but the �substance�
of the boycott will hurt. The hurt, however, will not strike at the demonized
�Anglo� but will leave a wound that can and will only be attributed to
organizers and participants of the boycott.

The boycott and demonstrations
are not intended to mitigate a wrong. The boycott and demonstrations are
a mega �neener-neener� / flipping off of what the 60s hippies would call
�the establishment� but in reality is everyone not joining the lawlessness.

Gutless, spineless,
testosterone challenged politicians are worse than the most strident Aztlan
dreamquester.

L.A. Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa is classic. He has been pouring gasoline on the immigrant
fire for years. However, the first modern era Latino mayor of L.A., MEChA/ACLU/�Progressive�
darling, won�t be in town for the rallies. Although he promised to be
with �his people� screeding against the Anglo, he has bailed, leaving
�his people� �a ship without a captain.�

Where will the high
school drop out former gangbanger turned political Kong be? He will be
in Dallas, not rallying his MEChA brothers, but meeting with National
Football League officials about maybe bringing an NFL team back to L.A.

Meanwhile la-la land
is expecting two to three million people will flood the chronically clogged
streets of Los Angeles.

The mayor�s office
said he never promised to be present. Organizers say �did to�...�did NOT���Did
TOO!�

Every school district
in California is entitled to a certain amount of money per student, known
as the revenue limit. It is based on its average daily attendance and
other factors. The average revenue limit for elementary districts (which
include middle schools) is about $5,000 per student.

Subscribe to the NewsWithViews Daily News Alerts!

Enter Your E-Mail Address:

No one can yet estimate
how much Monday�s boycott will cost but I hope someone DOES.

Meanwhile, THE most
significant element of all the rhetoric remains, the counter intuitive
inertia of rewarding and enabling illegal conduct.

"Geoff Metcalf is a nationally syndicated radio
talk show host for TALK AMERICA
and a veteran media performer. He has had an eclectic professional background
covering a wide spectrum of radio, television, magazine, and newspapers.
A former Green Beret and retired Army officer he is in great demand as
a speaker. Visit Geoff's